Camponotus lateralis

Camponotus lateralis – Mediterranean Beauty

Promising foundation (Queen swarming 2025 + 1 to 3 first workers + brood).

🐜 One of the most beautiful pearls in Europe

The Camponotus lateralis is a jewel of our fauna. With its deep brick-red head and glossy black body, it displays an exceptional color contrast. It is a fascinating species that practices mimicry: in the wild, it often follows the trails of Crematogaster ants to remain undetected. In captivity, it is a peaceful ant, less skittish than other Camponotus species, making it an ideal candidate for close observation.

My opinion: If you're looking for aesthetics without the stress of an invasive colony, the Lateralis is for you. Its growth is moderate, allowing you to truly savor each new hatchling. My advice: provide them with a cork nest or a relatively dry setup. They love basking near a heat source; that's when their reddish sheen is best admired.

📋 Maintenance sheet (Peace of mind is paramount)

• Difficulty: Easy to Intermediate.
• Behavior: Calm, not very aggressive, very pleasant to observe.
• Habitat: Lignicolous species. It prefers dry environments with an accessible water source.
• Major advantage: Marked polymorphism with majors having very aesthetic red heads.

🛠️ Detailed breeding parameters

• Morphology: Queen (8-10 mm) | Minors (3-4 mm) | Majors (Up to 7 mm).
• Temperature: It likes the Mediterranean heat ( 22°C to 28°C ).
• Humidity: Very low ( 10-25% ). A dry nest with a separate waterer is the ideal setup.
• Diapause: Mandatory. 3 months (November to March) between 8°C and 12°C . This is the secret to explosive egg-laying from spring onwards.

📦 Why choose Fourmitures?

• Premium Selection: French queen from the 2025 swarm, rigorously selected for her health.
• Guaranteed Start: You receive a queen already supported by her first workers, which considerably reduces the risks associated with the foundation.